Adjusting means for slidable side jaw wrenches



Oct. 6, 1953 M. w. EMMETT'Y I ADJUSTING MEANS FOR SLIDABLE SIDE JAW WRENCHES Filed March 24, 1949 Patented Oct. 6, 1953 UNITED PATEN T OF ADJUSTING MEANS FORcSLIDABLE: SIDE JAW WRENCHES Miltorr-W. Emmett ltos Angolan Calif; assignor l 62, Inc., Los An'g'ele's; cane,-

This invention relateslto gripping triolsand deals more particularly with adjirstable jaw pliers.

An object of the present inventionis?to"provide" pli'ers, more particularly. for'article-grippingpun- 5 poses, that embodies a. j aw fixedv with one of' the handlesof the tool, anda jawthat'isadju'stable with. respe'ct to both thefixed' 'j aw "and theLoth'er handle, to provide a tool'that? has universal ap= plication within the range of its adjustment: v

Another object of the invention isto"'provide' adjustable-jaw pliers which have: handles. that are resilient to a limiteddegree whereby compression on the handles results in tight" gripping of the jaws; said handles being a'dapt'edtoautoe matically interlock to retain grip of an." articiebetween. the" jawstafter manual releaseof the handles;

Another object of theinvention .is to provide novel handle -interlocking means" that optionally may be arranged to lock thehan'dles, or not as desired;

A further object" of thei'nvention' is to provide pliers that embody'novel means efiecting adjust mentor one jaw relative'to the other;

A still further object oft'he" invention is-to" provide" pliers that have'novel" gripping jaws which, rather than comprising expensive ma:- ch'in'ed' forgings are comprised of stamped laminaethat are so mutually interconnecteda-s" I to be strong and-durable elements that do'not' requirethose machining operations that are'-re--- quired by forgings'.

A yetfurther object of th'e inventionfis tvprovide, in'pliersof'th'echaracter indicated; a'com bined jaw" and handleelement that 'is =completeli formed of stampings' which are so=-inter-iusedthat said element is substantially integral:

The invention also has for its objects topic-"-- vide" such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easilyinstalled iii-a: working position and easily disconnected therefromi eeo nomical of manufacture; relatively simple; and of general superiority and' serviceahility.

The invention also comprises noveldetails of construction anclnovel combinations andrangement's of parts, which willm'ore fullyappear in the course ofithe-fol-lowingdescription. How ever; the drawings merely show andthe'fbllovving description merely-described one embodiment} of the present invention, which is given by Way of illustration'or example only;

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar-parts in the several views:

Fig; 1 isa side elevati'onalview-ofadjusta-hle 55 jaw pliers according tothe present invention:

' outer-laminae of the jaw 1'2 thereby defining the bottom or passage- 2 5i FigLZ is" an. edge vi'e'vv'of" the gripping endrof" theipliers asseen from theleft of Fig; 1". i

Fig. 3 is a similarfview as seenfr'o'm. the right of Fig. I.

Fig. 4'is1a longitudinal sectional view. as taken on line 4'4 of Fig. 2;

Fig, 5 is arperspective view ofthe. adjustable jaw'o'fthe pliers;

Fig; 6.is:"a' similar view'oi the other jaw; the connected handle being broken" away:

The pliers that is. illustrated in the drawing, comprises, generallyga pair ofhandles'i'fila pivot oneoifthei'handles; a cooperatingjawflh; means i l for adj'usting jaw 13 relativeto jaw 12" and also relative'tdthe othenhandl'e; andmean's 5 for releasably interlocking the" handles to hold the jaws in work-gripping position;

The handles 16" and' H of thepair of handles it are eachformed'to have a- U' shaped-cross sectiom areadvantageously stamped"frOmsh-eetstocl: ofa:suitabl'agauge; From'the po'int of connectio'n ofhandl'es l6 and I! at the' pi vot" Hi the same are'reducingly" gradually tapered toward their freeends. Consequently, whilethe-'handles are; in"the-='rnaii1, rigid; they-yet have limited" resilience: Thus, hand pressure on'thehandlesis'ca-pa-hleofflexingthem toward each oth'era suitable spring I8 is providedior" urging the handles apart: the-same being shown as-a-bowed leaf spring trained around pivot I'ii Thehandlel ii-o'nthe other sideofthaprvot; is considerably widened" to provide opposed ateparts F9 which, at their upper edges; aren turned as at 20. There is thus provided athrou'gh'space'orpassage 2 1 between plate parts I'B'l on oneside; each platepart l9 isprovideti with an upper extension 22* that comprises-*- the walls W se that the shape of space 2'1 is -accurately maihtained; each wall is lined-with a plate part- 2-3 which has an upper extension that is similar in size and shape to extension 2 2: Along"th'efloweredge of eachp'l'atepa'rt- 23 there isprovided' arr intur'ned lip or flange 25'; the s'arne order'to accommodate the upper 'end ii oi han'dle H, said platep'arts 2-3""and-thei r inturned fiahges" 2'fi areinterrupted to form elongated recesses- 2 7 as bestseeninFig:

Theabove partially formed-fixed ja-w ramcludes a plurality of laminae-28 that fill" the spacebetween extensions 24, thebottom-edges N of said laminae defining, at one end; the topoi passage2l: In-practic'e; the above=descrihed=ele=r ments oi t'he combinedhandle1 Wand jaw struc To reinforce the ture I2-said elements all comprising metal stampings of substantially the same thicknessare copper brazed or otherwise similarly joined. The braze-jointed formation of the jaw and handle renders the elements thereof relatively integral. The same is, therefore, strong for the purpose intended.

The movable jaw I3 is similarly fabricated. In practice, several stamped elements 38, of a length commensurate to the width of plate parts I9 and 23, are arranged in superposed relation. Each of said elements 30, at one end, is provided with an upper extension 3Ia that has a shape similar to that of the elements comprising jaw I2. The lower portion of the superposed elements 38 is cut away to provide spaced end portions 3| and 32 that define a space 33 therebetween. Said superposed elements 38 are inserted into a U-shaped stamped member 34 that, when fiat, is a hollow rectangle and, when formed to shape, comprises a channel receptive of elements 3%. The hollow of member 34, when said member is cent as in Fig. provides said member with spaced end portions 35 and 38 that respectively confine portions IN and 32 of the superposed elements 30.

In order to build up jaw I3 to the thickness of jaw l2, stamped elements 3'I, similar in size and shape to extensions 3Ia, are applied to the outer faces of the outer of said extensions. While, during fabrication, the elements 38 are held in superposed relation by member 34, it is necessary to initially spot weld as at 38 to temporarily hold elements 31 in place with relation to extensions 3Ia. A copper-brazing operation will then effect an integral union of the components of jaw I3.

It will be noted that the laminated jaw I3, thus provided, is substantially complete and does not require finishing-machining operations that are necessary for forged jaws. The upper edges 39 of member 34 and the opposed lower edges 43 or elements 31 define a way 4|. Accordingly, the spaced ends of said jaw and the connecting portion thereof, comprises a body 42 that slidingly fits in passage 2i, said body being retained in the passage by engagement of the inturned edges 43 of plate parts 23 in the Ways 48. In addition to guide afforded by edges 43, the jaw I3 is held against canting or tilting by flanges 25, at the bottom, the edges 29 of elements 28, at the top on one end, and by engagement of edges 48 of elements 3'! with inturned edges 28 on the other end.

It is evident that the cooperating faces 44 of the two jaws I2 and I3 may be treated according to the use for which the pliers are intended. Said jaw faces may be plane, knurled or serrated, as shown. In any event, said faces move relatively parallel, both during adjustment and under movement by manipulation of the handles I6 and I1.

The jaw adjusting means I4 comprises an adjusting screw 45 that has bearing in the spaced ends of jaw body 42 to extend between said ends. Said screw is held against endwise movement by a pin 46 extending transversely through a groove 41 provided in the screw where it has bearing in one of the mentioned body ends. A knurled knob 48 is provided on the end of the screw to rotate the same.

A nut in the from of a block 49 is threadedly engaged with said screw, said block being adapted to be adjustably moved between the spaced ends of jaw body 42, said block being held against rotation by engagement with the bridging portion of said body. A notch 59, open in the direction of pivot I I, is formed in the block, the same being receptive of a transverse pin 5I, carried by arm end 28 above pivot II. Said notch is of sufficient depth to accommodate arcuate movement of pin 50 without interference, said arcuate movement resulting in straight-line movement of jaw I3 relative to jaw I2.

The means I4 can be manipulated to adjust jaws I2 and I3 to grip relatively thin objects or relatively thick ones while the handles I6 and IT remain in the same relative position, it being evident that block 49 remains immovable as screw 45 is rotated during adjustmenut of jaw I3.

As herein contemplated, handles I6 and I! are designed to have limited flexibility so that when pressed together, with the jaws gripping a work-piece, they will flex toward each other. The jaws, thereby, resiliently engage the work and grip the same firmly.

The means I5 is provided to interlock the handles so that hand pressure may be released with assurance that the jaws will retain work-gripping position. As shown, said means comprises an extension 52 that is afiixed to the end of handle IT as by welding, said extension being directed toward handle I6 and terminating in an ofiset lug or tooth 53; and a ratchet bar 54 that is carried on a pivot 55 on the end of handle I5 and urged by a spring 56 to seek a retracted position in the hollow of said handle. The teeth 51 on said bar 54 are inter-engageable with lug 53 substantially as shown. A finger-piece 58 on said bar is employed for moving the latter from retracted to the operative position of Fig. 1. The bar 54 is preferably of channel form so that the same serves as a guide for extension 52 to insure engagement of lug 53 and teeth 51.

The pliers are usable in the ordinary manner when bar 54 is retracted, the jaws closing over the work by hand pressure on the handles and opening under the force of spring I8 when hand pressure is released. The means I5 is employed when manual release of the handles is desired. Said means is first inter-engaged by hooking lug 53 and one of the teeth 51. The jaw I3 is then adjusted to engage against the work, the handles retaining their relative position. Now hand pressure is applied to squeeze the handles, cause them to flex and thereby ratchet lug 53 past one or more of the next successive teeth 51. Holding pressure is thus imparted to jaws I2 and I3. The handles may now be manually released. By pressing on the finger-piece 58, the means I5 is released so that spring I8 becomes effective to separate the jaws for removal of work between them.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

Adjusting means for a slidable side jaw wrench comprising: a first handle member having a transversely channeled head and a fixed jaw thereon, a second handle member hinged to said first handle member at a point near said head,

said fixed jaw having a channeled shank held in the channel of said head, a movable jaw having a shank slidable on the shank of said fixed jaw to and from work holding position relative to said fixed jaw, an adjusting screw rotatable in the shank of the movable jaw, a bifurcated nut borne by said screw and adjustable between spaced portions of the movable jaw, and a connector borne by said second handle member and seated between the furcations of said nut, whereby the rotation of said screw will eiTect axial adjustment of said nut, limit movement of the movable jaw to a predetermined position relative to the fixed jaw and thereby accommodate the wrench to work of different dimensions.

MILTON W. EMMETT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 5 370,447 1,169,600 1,169,601 1,309,874 2,156,529 10 Number Name Date Brown Sept. 27, 1887 Bastian Jan. 25, 1916 Bastian JJan. 25, 1916 Arnot July 15, 1919 Day May 2, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Sweden Jan. 31, 1918 Canada May 11, 1920 France Oct. 23, 1944 

